Mills Hills Cyclocross Sportive – The Man with the Golden Cobble.

This one goes in the ‘not to be missed’ category of bike events, people. Was great to take part today in the inaugural event organised by Emma Osenton – a gruelling route over the middle part of Calderdale. With just shy / just over 5,000ft of climbing in 33 or 34 miles (depending on whose GPS you pay attention to, it’s a hilly one. It’s also mega slow and gritty at times. Trudging on foot is kept to a bare minimum but there are plenty of slow but rythmic climbs.

The cobbled climbs were sadly a little greasier than in the springtime Ronde van Oost Lancashire in a similar part of the world and sharing a couple of cobbled stretches, but I still managed to come away with a ‘golden cobble’ prize for the fastest climb over a cobbled section (that I ended up running!!)

It was also one of those things, for me, that I don’t do enough of…. ‘riding with other people and not being in a rush’. That in itself is a highly recommended thing. It was great to spend time with people I do and don’t really get to spend much time with, and also to meet a couple of new ones too. Good folks, all of them.

A great event and super day out, rounded off by free pie and peas. Brill.